
Leona Williard works in a millinery shop in a small town while dreaming of going to New York and marrying a wealthy man. An inheritance of five thousand dollars turns her dream into a reality, and Leona goes to the city where she meets Mrs.


The first time we see Leona Williard she is haloed by dust motes dancing in a shaft of prairie sunlight, as if the universe itself can’t decide whether to crown or consume her. Carmel Myers plays her with the mercurial stillness of a pond that might at any instant become a waterfall; every close-up is a negotiation ...

production_art


Comparing the cinematic DNA and archive impact of two defining moments in cult history.

Rollin S. Sturgeon

Rollin S. Sturgeon
Community
Log in to comment.
" The first time we see Leona Williard she is haloed by dust motes dancing in a shaft of prairie sunlight, as if the universe itself can’t decide whether to crown or consume her. Carmel Myers plays her with the mercurial stillness of a pond that might at any instant become a waterfall; every close-up is a negotiation between cheekbone and shadow, between the wish to be looked at and the terror of being seen too well. Director (William C. Dowlan, uncredited but stylistically unmistakable) lets t..."
Katherine Leiser Robbins, Doris Schroeder
United States


Deep dive into the cult classic
Discover similar cinematic experiences
A Directorial Spotlight on Rollin S. Sturgeon